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cnbc.com
Powell sees inflation outlook in check, no need to hike rates because of oil shock
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell spoke Monday at Harvard University.
cnbc.com
Treasury yields slide as traders pare bets on Fed rate cuts
U.S. Treasury yields were lower on Friday as investors looked ahead to job data for the week and monitored the U.S.-Iran war, which entered its fifth week.
cnbc.com
401(k) alternative asset rule proposed by Labor Department
The Department of Labor has proposed a rule to let 401(k) plans more easily include alternative assets such as private equity, cryptocurrencies and real estate.
cnbc.com
Brent oil heads for record monthly surge as Iran war enters fifth week
Oil prices climbed on Monday after Yemen's Houthis said they had fired missiles at Israel, opening a new front in the U.S.- and Israeli-led conflict with Iran.
theguardian.com
IMF warns Middle East conflict will lead to higher prices and slower global growth
Washington-based fund says rising energy and food costs will hit economies worldwide and could leave lasting scarsThe International Monetary Fund has warned that “all roads lead to higher prices and slower growth worldwide” should the conflict in the Middle East continue to throttle the amount of oil, gas and fertiliser making its way out of the Gulf.In a stark message that countries on all continents will be affected, the Washington-based organisation said a rise in energy and food costs would harm economic growth this year and could leave lasting scars on the global economy. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
British Steel on track to be fully nationalised within weeks
UK plans to take economic control from Chinese owner Jingye a year after stepping in to run plant, sources sayBritish Steel is on track to be fully nationalised within weeks, the Guardian understands, a year after the government took over the daily running of the loss-making business from its Chinese owner.The steelmaker, which employs 3,500 people at its plant in Scunthorpe, was taken under government control last April amid fears that the owner Jingye was planning to shut down the site. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Harrods’ closure of compensation scheme for survivors of alleged sexual abuse called ‘neither fair nor just’
Scheme for accusers of store’s former owner Mohamed Al Fayed to close before end of retailer’s internal investigationHarrods has been accused of being “neither fair nor just” over its decision to close a compensation scheme for survivors of alleged sexual abuse by the luxury department store’s former owner Mohamed Al Fayed.Kingsley Hayes, partner at KP Law, which is representing nearly 280 survivors, questioned why the scheme was being closed on Tuesday 31 March, before Harrods had completed an internal investigation into what happened and who knew about it. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Millions of drivers mis-sold car finance to receive average £829 in compensation
The City regulator says 12.1 million motor finance deals will be eligible for redress.
bbc.com
How will car finance compensation payments work?
Millions could be entitled to compensation as a result of commission arrangements between lenders and dealers.
theguardian.com
Car finance victims to get an average £830 payout but fewer loans eligible
City regulator reduces number of loan agreements in line for compensation from 14m to 12mBusiness live – latest updatesThe City regulator has tightened the rules of a mass compensation scheme over the car finance sandal, with fewer than expected victims set to receive £830 on average.The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) released the final details of its planned redress programme, saying it had narrowed the number of loan agreements eligible for payouts from 14m to 12.1m contracts. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Air Canada CEO to resign after backlash to video tribute of pilots killed in crash
Michael Rousseau faced mockery for speaking English and not French while addressing fatal LaGuardia airport crashThe head of Canada’s largest airline is stepping down after his video tribute to pilots killed in a fatal collision became a public relations nightmare for Air Canada, prompting a wave of mockery and indignation at him from both the public and politicians for not speaking French.Air Canada’s CEO, Michael Rousseau, will retire by the end of the third quarter of 2026, the company said on Monday. He will continue to lead the company and serve on the board of directors until that time, the carrier said. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Oil rises and Asia shares slide as Iran war enters fifth week
It comes after Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen joined the conflict by striking Israel over the weekend.
bbc.com
What was the 1970s oil crisis, and are we heading for something worse?
While both crises involve oil, experts say there are some important differences between what happened in the 1970s and today.
cnbc.com
How Chinese, Russian Arctic ambitions are fueling a U.S. polar icebreaker mission
China and Russia have a big lead in efforts to control once impenetrable Arctic waters. The U.S. is spending billions on new icebreakers in a race to catch up.
theguardian.com
Families hardest hit by energy crisis could be given funds dispensed by councils in England
As Iran war continues, ministers debate several options for extending support to householdsBusiness live – latest newsFamilies hardest hit by the looming energy crisis caused by the Iran war could be given funds dispensed by local councils, under plans being considered by UK ministers keen to keep a lid on costs.As concerns increase about the impact of rising fuel and energy costs in response to a drawn-out conflict in the Middle East, a government official said several options for extending support were being debated inside Whitehall. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump says U.S. will destroy Iran’s oil wells, Kharg Island without deal to 'immediately' reopen Hormuz Strait
Donald Trump warned the U.S. will completely obliterate all of Iran's electric generating plants, oil wells and Kharg Island if a peace deal is not reached.
cnbc.com
Iran's attacks on aluminum producers are sending 'shockwaves' through the metals market
Aluminum hit prices not seen since 2022 after Iranian attacks on two Middle Eastern producers over the weekend, amid fears of a supply crisis.
bbc.com
'Fertiliser costs mean I'm better off not planting'
A farmer says rises in the cost of fertiliser since war began in the Middle East mean he is better off not using it.
theguardian.com
Putin likely to stage another Salisbury-style attack, exiled oil tycoon says
Mikhail Khodorkovsky says Russian security services may seek to create a ‘sense of vulnerability’ in BritainVladimir Putin is likely to stage another Salisbury-style attack on UK soil unless the government adopts more aggressive tactics against the Kremlin, the exiled Russian billionaire Mikhail Khodorkovsky has said.The former oil tycoon has emerged as a leading figure in Russian diaspora opposition circles and claims to be well-informed about current thinking and developments among Moscow’s elite. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Trump appears to relax oil blockade on Cuba as Russian tanker arrives
US president says he has ‘no problem’ with countries sending oil to Cuba, in potential lifeline to island nationMiddle East crisis – live updatesDonald Trump appears to have relaxed his blockade on fuel-starved Cuba after a Russian tanker reached the Caribbean island carrying 100,000 tonnes of crude.Russia’s transport ministry said the Anatoly Kolodkin tanker arrived at the port of Matanzas on Cuba’s northern coast on Monday to deliver the crisis-hit country’s first such cargo in more than three months. Continue reading...
bbc.com
How Trump and the oil markets move in sync: A tango in five charts
Oil markets have been sensitive to Donald Trump's comments on the war. But are traders growing less responsive?
theguardian.com
Expat influencers sold Dubai to the world and were paid to look the other way. Now the dream is crumbling | Brigid Delaney
The Maseratis are borrowed, the helicopters rented by the hour. But deep down Dubai is a lonely place, built by oppressed people For people living in close proximity to a war zone, the lack of sympathy for Australian and British expats and influencers in Dubai has been, on the face of it, curious.Since their adopted home was bombed in the initial days of the war, they have faced mostly ridicule and contempt in their home countries. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump reportedly wants to 'take the oil in Iran' as Tehran targets water, power facilities in Kuwait
The Middle East conflict has entered its fifth week, with attacks expanding across the region and raising risks to energy and infrastructure.
cnbc.com
Russia welcomes arrival of oil tanker in Cuba after Trump softens approach to U.S. blockade
A Russian oil tanker carrying a humanitarian shipment of 100,000 tons of crude oil reportedly arrived in Cuba on Monday.
cnbc.com
The Iran war is defense tech's chance to shine, but few systems and weapons are ready
Palmer Luckey's Anduril, software AI company Palantir and Elon Musk's SpaceX are getting the lion's share of defense tech dollars from the Pentagon.
theguardian.com
Demand for hydropower surges as Trump clamps down on clean energy
Home to one of the largest deposits of freshwater on the planet, the Great Lakes region will soon host next-generation tidal-powered generators – just as prices are being hiked across the USSubmersible hydroelectric technology deployed across the Great Lakes could become a key cog in clean energy efforts, supporters say, amid surging electricity demand and costs.Home to one of the largest deposits of freshwater on the planet, the Great Lakes region has on its shores some of the largest cities in North America in Chicago, Toronto, Montreal and Detroit, where electricity demand is growing. While none of the five Great Lakes have significant tides or currents to fuel hydropower, several of the waterways that link the lakes do. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Samsung-backed AI chip firm Rebellions raises $400 million ahead of IPO
Rebellions' chips are focused on AI inferencing, putting it in competition with Nvidia as well as other startups from Groq to Cerebras.
theguardian.com
Fire at Israeli oil refinery after reported missile attack – video
An industrial building and a fuel tanker in Israel's northern city of Haifa were hit by debris from an intercepted missile, Israel’s fire and rescue service said on Monday. It was not immediately clear where the missile was fired fromMiddle East live Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Apple subsidiary fined by UK government over Moscow sanctions breach
Apple Distribution International, based in Ireland, made payments worth £635,000 to a Russian streaming serviceThe UK government has fined a subsidiary of Apple £390,000 for breaching sanctions against Moscow over payments it made to a Russian streaming platform.Apple Distribution International (ADI), based in the Republic of Ireland, instructed an unnamed UK-based bank to make two payments to a company owned by a sanctioned Russian entity. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Pessimism sets in for Europe as Iran war hits economic and consumer confidence
Economic sentiment in Europe plummeted in March, according to the latest flash data released on Monday.
cnbc.com
Quantum technology firms race to market as the industry sees ‘inflection point’
Quantum technology firms are braving turbulent markets to publicly list this year, as the nascent industry looks towards commercialization.
theguardian.com
Trump’s Iran war is holding him hostage | Sidney Blumenthal
If there is any consistency to Trump’s policy, it is a series of frantic attempts to justify his original blunder and extricate himself from its dire consequencesDonald Trump has lost his Iran war. He is the Iranian hostage. Unlike the US embassy personnel captured as hostages for 444 days, Trump threw himself into Iranian hands. Less than a month into his “short-term excursion”, his stated objectives have been scattered to the winds. There is no regime change, no uprising and no access to oil wealth along the Venezuelan model. The decapitation gambit – assassinating Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior Iranian leadership – has failed to destroy the regime. Despite the massacre, it is Trump who stands exposed to slings and arrows for the rashest military adventure since Custer at Little Bighorn.Iran maintains a chokehold on the strait of Hormuz and, through its narrowest passage of 21 miles, on the global economy. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development forecasts a spike of inflation to 4.2% in the US, a 40% increase since Trump returned to office. The stock market has dived into correction territory. Iran has also demonstrated its capacity to wreak existential destruction on the Gulf states whose rulers’ delusion of their invulnerability and US protection has been shattered. “I’m the opposite of desperate,” Trump declared on 26 March. “I don’t care.” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Sexual assault survivor calls failure of Travelodge boss to meet MPs ‘shocking’
Woman assaulted after man was given key card to her room criticises CEO Jo Boydell over cancelled meetingA woman who was sexually assaulted by a man who was handed a key card to her room at a Travelodge has said she was shocked to learn the hotel chain’s boss cancelled a meeting with a group of MPs seeking to discuss concerns about the case.More than 20 MPs had demanded the meeting this month to discuss the matter – including details of the chain’s security processes and procedures that led to it offering the victim an “insulting” £30 refund after the incident. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Beijing's surprise intervention on Meta's Manus rattles tech founders, VCs eyeing 'China shedding'
Beijing's review has fueled concerns and confusion among Chinese tech founders and investors that had quietly embraced the so-called "Singapore-washing" model.
theguardian.com
Mounjaro maker wants NHS drug price rises in return for more investment in UK
US firm Eli Lilly, which is also pushing for end to rebate scheme, optimistic about talks with ministersBusiness live – latest updatesThe US pharmaceutical group behind the Mounjaro weight-loss drug has said it will unpause its UK investments if ministers agree to regularly increase NHS drug prices and end a rebate scheme.Patrik Jonsson, the president of Eli Lilly’s international business, said the company was in talks with UK ministers and that he was optimistic about reaching an agreement this summer for Britain to pay more for its medicines. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Easter bank holiday expected to be UK’s busiest on roads in four years
Drivers planning nearly 21m leisure journeys from Thursday to Monday despite soaring fuel prices, say expertsThe four-day bank holiday weekend is expected to be the busiest Easter on the roads in four years, despite a surge in fuel prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East.Drivers are planning nearly 21m leisure journeys between Thursday and Easter Monday, according to a study by the RAC and the traffic analytics specialists Inrix. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Mistral secures $830 million in debt financing to fund AI data center
Mistral is one of the few European startups building foundational AI models.
cnbc.com
South Korea's Kospi leads declines in Asia as Middle East war enters fifth week
Asia-Pacific markets fell Monday as the Middle East war enters its fifth week.
cnbc.com
Budget airlines built on cheap fares now face a painful reality: Fuel is getting expensive
Budget airlines try to maintain low costs while fuel costs continue to rise
cnbc.com
India flags slower growth, wider deficit as Iran war raises the stakes for New Delhi
India warns growth may slow as the Iran conflict pushes up energy costs, widens deficits, and strains supply chains.
theguardian.com
UK savers told to act now before Easter Sunday cash Isa deadline
Interest rates as high as 4.45% and a steep cut in next year’s allowance fuel forecast of last-minute rushCost of living: how to prepare for the ‘awful April’ shower of bill increasesSavers who want to make the most of this year’s cash Isa allowance are being urged not to leave it to the last minute, as the deadline for applications falls on the Easter weekend.The Isa wrapper allows people to save or invest money and benefit from the returns free of tax. Each tax year, people can pay in up to £20,000, which can then be moved around in subsequent years without the tax benefits being lost. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Cost of living: how to prepare for the ‘awful April’ shower of bill increases
From council tax to water, broadband to stamps, costs climb again from next month …. and that’s before any knock-on effects from Iran warUK savers told to act now before Easter Sunday cash Isa deadlineNext month, UK households face a bill surge in which the annual cost of essentials, including council tax and water, increase by more than £200 – and that is before the full impact of price jumps caused by the Iran war hit your pocket.The “awful April” increases are particularly unwelcome as the financial turmoil caused by the Middle East conflict has pushed up mortgage rates, fuel prices and energy bills for rural households. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Eli Lilly reaches $2.75 billion deal with Insilico to bring AI-developed drugs to the global market
U.S. pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly will give Hong Kong-listed Insilico $115 million upfront to bring some of its AI-discovered drugs to the global market.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Trump's 'favorite thing' is Iranian oil
President Trump's tough rhetoric and a build-up of ground troops raise escalation fears and drive risk-averse trade across global markets.
theguardian.com
Will Trump bring peace, or more bombs? Shady speculators seem to bet right every time | Nesrine Malik
The president may not be benefiting directly from betting markets, but he has encouraged a culture that treats politics like a casino floorOdd things are happening in the markets. Last Monday, 15 minutes before Donald Trump posted an announcement that “productive talks” with Iran had taken place, oil traders placed half a billion dollars’ worth of bets on the future price of oil. Trump’s statement triggered a drop in crude oil prices, and it seems as if some people knew that the announcement was coming, and so a profitable wager was made. Do not be envious; some people are just born lucky.We do not know if the transactions were made with prior knowledge of political developments, but it’s a hell of a coincidence. It all appears “abnormal for sure”, an oil analyst told the BBC.Nesrine Malik is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Big retailers say UK jobs at risk from guaranteed hours reforms
More than half of roles could be hit and young shop workers in particular could lose out, trade body warnsMore than half of retail jobs could be affected by reform to guaranteed working hours, making it harder for shops to employ people – particularly young workers – in part-time roles, the industry’s lobby group has warned.From April, the Employment Rights Act will introduce new protections for workers on sick pay, sexual harassment, parental leave and trade union recognition. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK’s big, risky AI bet – podcast
Reporter Aisha Down explores the UK’s ‘phantom investments’ in AI, and the risk the government has taken in betting so heavily on the technology if it all goes bustFor years now, the UK has bet big on AI. As Keir Starmer put it last year, he wanted to ‘unleash AI’ to boost growth across the country.Yet what has become of the billions promised in AI investment? Reporter Aisha Down charts the murky world of building projects behind schedule, vague spending commitments, and even vast sums being thrown at chips at risk of being out of date. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
China’s ‘teapot’ oil refineries keep economy brewing – but surging crude prices leave them strained
The factories, which buy cheap crude and turn it into fuel, are struggling as higher oil prices threaten their razor-sharp margins The towns that are the bulwark of China’s energy security can, at a moment of global crisis, appear deceptively quiet. Trucks carrying oil trundle along wide-open highways that have little traffic, while a few boarded-up shops in crumbling low-rise buildings hint at a long-forgotten local buzz.A ramshackle noodle shop serving hand-pulled ribbons of dough was empty at lunchtime, save for a few construction workers and a teacher watching videos on Douyin, the social media platform, with his meal. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Why Chinese tech companies are racing to set up in Hong Kong
Mainland firms are using the territory to test products and as a springboard for global expansion.
bbc.com
Tech CEOs suddenly love blaming AI for mass job cuts. Why?
More tech leaders are pointing to job cuts caused by AI tools - and a need for more investment cash.
cnbc.com
Pakistan prepared to host U.S.-Iran talks in 'coming days' as Trump weighs deploying ground troops
Foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt all arrived in Islamabad to discuss the evolving regional situation in the Middle East.
cnbc.com
Meta's court losses spell potential trouble for AI research, consumer safety
Meta's two courtroom defeats centered on different cases but both involved allegations that the company knew about its products' harms.
theguardian.com
Nicola Jennings on the court rulings against Meta – cartoon
Continue reading...
theguardian.com
How we can improve food security in Britain | Letters
Richard Harvey and Joy Webb respond to an article by George Monbiot on the fragility of the global food system in light of the Iran warAlthough I agree with George Monbiot’s analysis of the serious risks that we face from a breakdown in the UK food supply chain, there are two important points we need to recognise (We’re letting big corporations gamble with our lives. Act now, or the food could run out, 25 March). First, we must seek to increase food production on UK farms because this has been falling for several decades.Food self-sufficiency in the UK fell from 78% in 1984 to 62% in 2024. The decline is largely due to the loss of farmland to non-farming use: buildings, roads and railways, conservation and wildlife schemes, solar farms and recreation. We need to plan for a scenario where imported food may not be readily available. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Childminders are a vital, yet overlooked, part of early years care | Letters
Talk of disadvantaged children being left behind so often leaves out the workforce most likely to reach them, says Brett WigdortzPolly Toynbee is right that England’s childcare system is falling short on its social purpose (It’s always been a fight to get children the early years care they deserve. It’s time to fight again, 20 March). But the irony is that talk of disadvantaged children being left behind often leaves out the workforce most likely to reach them: childminders. When we frame nurseries as the default in childcare provision (as Toynbee does, with not a single nod to childminders) we put low-income families even further on the back foot.As she notes, private equity-backed nursery chains prefer wealthier areas – they’re not itching to set up shop in deprived ones. But childminders can open their doors on any street and represent communities across the country. As they work from home and have lower overheads, they can be an oasis of affordability in deprived areas. And unlike nurseries’ more rigid hours, childminders offer flexible, wraparound care better suited to parents who work shifts. Without a plan to rebuild this vital workforce (which has lost 75,000 providers since the 1990s), children who need early years care the most will struggle to access it, no matter what funding changes are made.Brett WigdortzCEO, Tiney; founder, Teach First; spokesperson, Childminding2030 campaign Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Millions of boomer small business owners will soon retire. Will their companies just disappear? | Gene Marks
It’s likely, but it also could be a boon for a new generation of entrepreneurs willing to take over established operationsWant to buy my business? It’s been very profitable. I’ve run it for more than 25 years. But no, you don’t want to buy it. Like most small businesses in this country, there’s really nothing of value here.According to the Small Business Administration, there are approximately 33m small businesses in the US. But fewer than 7m actually employ people. The rest comprise freelancers, side gigs and independent contractors. I’m sure many of these people are making a living. But are they building assets? A brand? Probably not. If that “business owner” suddenly disappears, their business disappears with them. No one wants to buy a business like that. There’s no value. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘I’ve never seen anything like it’: Hawaii’s small farmers begin recovery after catastrophic flooding
Two kona low storms dumped up to 50in of rain on Oahu, flooding fields and submerging equipmentEddie Oroyan’s farm was thriving when the storms hit. He and his wife had started LewaTerra Farm last year on a gorgeous stretch of land on the north shore of Oahu. They were delivering vegetables to customers in the community, selling at farmers’ markets and to local restaurants.Then, on the week of 10 March, a first kona low storm hit the island, bringing copious amounts of water, flooding their land and wiping out crops. Nearly all their papayas were gone. And the tomatoes didn’t survive. But the couple quickly began cleaning, replanting and tying down crops, confident that they would get back on their feet shortly. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
I've studied over 200 kids. Here's the No. 1 skill parents are forgetting to teach kids today
Parents today try to raise their children for good grades and high achievement. But that's not what we should be focusing on, says child psychologist Reem Raouda, who has studied over 200 kids. She shares the most important skill parents are forgetting to teach today.
bbc.com
Plant-based cookery classes 'bring people together'
Cookery sessions help residents to build kitchen skills and confidence and make healthy choices.
theguardian.com
Long lines, martinis and memories as LA says adieu to cherished restaurant Taix
The 99-year-old Echo Park favorite is being bulldozed for apartments – Angelenos are losing a slice of city historyI was not hungry when I arrived at Taix on Thursday night, Los Angeles’s venerable, soon-to-close French restaurant and de facto museum of a long-gone era of fine dining. I’m rarely hungry when I go to Taix. Not because I don’t thoroughly enjoy their french onion soup, the mussels, or the decadent hamburger. I’m not hungry because it’s never my first stop of the night. Taix isn’t a destination. It’s a nexus point for LA.No one in Los Angeles ever thought it would be gone, until it was. Sunday will be the last service for a restaurant that has anchored the neighborhood of Echo Park for the past 64 years, before it is torn down to make way for a large-scale luxury apartment development. The impending closure has sparked an end-of-an-era frenzy, with lines down the street, packed tables and loyal fans pinching menus and other memorabilia for their personal collection. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Cut taxes on energy bills before giving bailouts, Badenoch says
The Tory leader refuses to rule out direct payments to households if bills spike but says this would come at a cost.
theguardian.com
War in Iran erodes the chancellor’s headroom and exposes our fragility | Heather Stewart
Rachel Reeves boasts of the £23bn she has built up against her fiscal rules but now she – or any future steward of the economy – has little space to manoeuvreIt is with no pleasure that I must report a depressing domestic byproduct of the war in the Middle East: headroom chat is back.Of course, shifts in investors’ appetite for gilts – UK government bonds – are trivial in the context of the bloodshed in Iran and beyond. But as a result of the economic chaos unleashed, gilt yields, which determine the interest rate on government borrowing, have resumed their grip on British politics. And one of Rachel Reeves’s proudest boasts, the £23bn in “headroom” she had built up against her fiscal rules, is in jeopardy. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
How Meta’s victim-blaming failed to sway jurors in landmark social media addiction trial
Aggressive strategy and loss in the trial highlight a problem for tech firms: a widespread distrust of social media companiesWhen Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, sought to defend itself in the landmark social media addiction lawsuit alleging its products caused personal injury to a young user, it went on the offensive. The mental health problems that the 20-year-old known as KGM suffered since she was a child were not the result of exposure to harm on Instagram, Meta’s lawyers and public relations team argued, but instead linked to her mother’s parenting and her offline social problems.In a bench memo filed before the trial began, lawyers for Meta quoted excerpts from KGM’s teenage text messages, personal writings and social media posts complaining about her mother. They combed through therapy notes and called on doctors to testify to examples of personal conflict. Throughout the proceedings, Meta’s communications team sent reporters repeated updates from the trial and quotes from testimony that highlighted her familial issues. Far from causing harm, they alleged that Instagram offered a helpful respite from the real world. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
HBO Max pins hopes on Friends and Harry Potter to win UK streaming war
Warner Bros-owned brand’s late arrival to British TV prompts deals for viewers as battle for subscribers heats upThe launch of HBO Max into the increasingly crowded UK television market last week has prompted deals for consumers as former rivals team up amid a slowdown in subscriber growth.The Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) streaming service hopes a competitive price for direct sign-ups and deals bundling the service through Sky will make it a must-have and not an also-ran, in a British TV ecosystem upended by Netflix 14 years ago. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Soon publishers won’t stand a chance’: literary world in struggle to detect AI-written books
US release of horror novel Shy Girl cancelled and UK book discontinued after suspected AI use, as publishers feel ‘cold shiver’Recently, the literary agent Kate Nash started noticing that the submission letters she was receiving from authors were becoming more thorough – albeit also more formulaic.“I took it as a rise in diligence,” she said. “I thought it was a good thing.” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Visible from space: why Spain has the world’s biggest concentration of greenhouses
Andalusia houses ‘Europe’s vegetable garden’ – a laboratory of development and innovation producing vegetables for all of EuropeEurope’s vegetable garden is in Andalusia, southern Spain. It is so vast that it can even be seen from space: if you open Google Maps and look west of Almería, you will see a white patch that looks like a glacier, but as you zoom in, you realise it is the highest concentration of greenhouses in the world. More than 30,000 hectares (74,131 acres) of land are covered in plastic, a geometric labyrinth five times the size of Manhattan, where 3.5m tons of vegetables are produced every year – from tomatoes to cucumbers, peppers to courgettes, aubergines to melons – enough to feed half a billion people and generate a turnover of more than 3bn euros.Workers prepare peppers inside the Hortamar cooperative, a fruit and vegetable producers’ organisation in Roquetas de Mar, founded in 1977, that now has more than 240 members and sells throughout Europe, the US and Canada. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The OnlyFans inheritance: how its owner’s death could reshape the porn money-making machine
Leonid Radvinsky’s widow has been left with a crucial role in deciding what happens to the business that made her husband a billionaireYekaterina Chudnovsky, online biographies say, is a mother-of-four who “enjoys spending time with her family and teaching them the importance of giving back and helping others”. They add that Ukrainian-born Chudnovsky, known as Katie, finds sanctuary in walks on the beach.In interviews, Chudnovsky has spoken warmly about her commitment to philanthropy, her dedication to supporting cancer research and her work as a lawyer for an unnamed global technology firm. Pornography is never mentioned. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Global week ahead: Why emergency G7 meetings are not working
Finance and energy ministers, as well as central bank governors from the G7 nations prepare for talks on Iran.
cnbc.com
How the big oil and gas CEOs think the Iran war supply disruption will play out
The oil industry's grim outlook for global oil and gas supplies stands in contrast to the Trump administration's promise that the disruption is short term.
cnbc.com
Yemen's Houthis launch Israel strike, the first time since the U.S.-Israel war began
The entry of the Houthis in the war marks a significant escalation in the conflict as it enters its second month.
theguardian.com
‘It feels like they’re pulling figures out of the sky’: UK pet owners welcome crackdown on vet fees
Competition watchdog will launch cost comparison website and has ordered vets to cap written prescription pricesThe UK’s competition watchdog has ordered vets to cap written prescription fees at £21, and practices will have to publish price lists in a crackdown on rising fees.The Competition and Markets Authority also said a costcomparison website would be introduced to increase competition and drive down costs. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The great care home cash grab: how private equity turned vulnerable elderly people into human ATMs
When did care homes come to be seen as recession-proof investments? And who pays the price?On a spring morning in 1987, a 30-year-old man named Robert Kilgour pulled up beside a row of foamy cherry trees in the town of Kirkcaldy, on Scotland’s east coast, to visit an old hotel. The building was four storeys of blackened Victorian sandstone. Kilgour was a big man, a voluble Scot with a knack for storytelling. He already owned a hotel in Edinburgh but wanted to branch into property development and was planning to turn this old place, Station Court, into apartments. A few months after he completed the purchase, however, the Scottish government scrapped a grant for developers that he had been counting on. He had just sunk most of his personal savings into a useless building in a sodden, post-industrial town. He urgently needed a new idea.Care homes weren’t so different from hotels, Kilgour thought. And the beauty was, their elderly residents were unlikely to get drunk, steal the soap dispensers or invite sex workers back to their rooms. Turning Station Court into a care home seemed like the best way out of a bad situation. Kilgour arranged a bank loan and in June 1989 he launched Four Seasons Health Care, taking the name from a restaurant in Midtown Manhattan where he had once dined. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Canadians don’t want to come here any more’: anger over Trump squeezes US border businesses
Shops and restaurants once bustling with tourists now struggle for survival as Canadians think twice about crossing the borderOn a warm March weekend in the American border town of Lewiston, New York, bakery owner Aimee Loughran is putting the finishing touches on a special order: a state trooper badge-shaped cake for a local officer’s retirement party.It should be the last task of a busy Saturday at her Just Desserts shop, which sits just 20 minutes north of the rushing waters of Niagara Falls. Dotted with cafes, restaurants and historic buildings from the 1800s, the Lewiston strip is usually catnip for tourists, including the Canadians whose homes can be seen from the banks of the nearby Niagara River. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
End to two-child benefit cap offers £300-a-month lifeline to cash-strapped families
From 6 April, low-income families can claim universal credit payments for all children living in the householdThe two-child benefit policy has been described as a “cap on childhood” and as it comes to an end, Claire* hopes to throw a birthday party for her son.It is a celebration most children may take for granted, but Claire and her partner run out of money at the end of every month, skipping meals so that their three children can eat. Her son, now in his final year at primary school, has never had a party. Continue reading...
bbc.com
The £5.30 orange juice that tells the story of why supermarket prices are sky high
Butter, chocolate, coffee and milk have all seen prices rocket. Tracing back through the story of one particular supermarket staple begins to explain why
bbc.com
Agent begged Epstein to have sex with model, emails show
Ramsey Elkholy introduced the financier to women as young as 18 in correspondence over almost a decade.
bbc.com
Asda boss rejects profiteering claims as petrol price tops 150p
Motorists are facing higher fuel prices ahead of Easter break due to the conflict in the Middle East, the RAC says.
theguardian.com
Asda warns of ‘temporary shortages’ at some petrol pumps amid Iran war
Comments from boss Allan Leighton come as squeeze on supplies drives average UK petrol price above 150p a litreBusiness live – latest updatesThe boss of Asda has warned of “temporary shortages’” at petrol pumps as supplies are squeezed by the conflict in the Middle East, which has driven up average UK petrol prices to above 150p a litre.Allan Leighton, the executive chair of the supermarket chain, which is the UK’s second largest fuel retailer, said it had been experiencing high demand from drivers as fuel prices have jumped about over the past four weeks since the war started. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Gulf markets are splintering as the Iran war continues. Here's what to know
Investors are grappling with sharp divergence across the Gulf's markets, as the Iran conflict drives asset volatility in the region.
bbc.com
'Ripple of fear' over Iran war hits consumer confidence
A key survey indicates growing doubt among shoppers over prospects for the UK economy in the next year.
cnbc.com
The Tech Download: How Russia could profit from Iran war helium supply chain disruption in the chip sector
Helium has emerged as a key focus for the tech sector as industry watchers cast their minds to the implications of a prolonged Iran war.
bbc.com
Just Eat and Autotrader among firms investigated in fake reviews probe
The UK's competition watchdog says it is looking at five firms in its investigation into misleading online reviews.
bbc.com
Lloyds bank reveals IT glitch affected almost half a million customers
In a letter to the Treasury Select Committee, Lloyds apologised and said some compensation had been paid.
bbc.com
Panic buying prompts PM to reassure Australians over fuel supply
Anthony Albanese says nation's supply remains "secure" amid reports of panic buying and shortages.
cnbc.com
Private credit's cracks open door for Wall Street banks' comeback: 'The tug of war is just starting'
Wall Street banks may finally be getting a long-awaited opening to claw back market share from private credit lenders.
theguardian.com
What was Doge? How Elon Musk tried to gamify government – podcast
Steeped in gaming and rightwing culture wars, Musk and his team of teenage coders set out to defeat the enemy of the United States: its peopleBy Ben Tarnoff and Quinn Slobodian. Read by Vincent Lai Continue reading...
bbc.com
How the Hormuz closure could affect food, medicines and smartphones
The price of a wide range of goods - from food, to smartphones, to medicines - could be affected by the US-Israel war with Iran.
bbc.com
Judge rejects Pentagon's attempt to 'cripple' Anthropic
A federal judge told the government it could not immediately enforce a ban on Anthropic’s tools.
bbc.com
'Affordability is the biggest thing' - Conservatives mixed on economy under Trump
Conservatives gathered at the annual CPAC conference in Texas were mixed when asked about their feelings on the current economy.
bbc.com
The spiky cactus fruit giving Indian farmers a cash boost
Indian farmers are turning to dragon fruit as a profitable alternative to mangoes and coffee.
bbc.com
Trump's signature to appear on US dollars in first for sitting president
The US president's signature will appear on new paper currency alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
bbc.com
Who knew Lord Sugar is a table tennis fan?
The Apprentice candidates try to sell a table tennis set live on TV.
bbc.com
JLR temporarily halts production at Solihull plant
Jaguar Land Rover pauses Range Rover production at its West Midlands factory due to supplier issue.
bbc.com
Elon Musk's X advertising boycott lawsuit dismissed by US judge
US District Judge Jane Boyle said the company had failed to show it had suffered any harm under federal competition laws.
bbc.com
Don't panic - five ways to stop your kids' endless scrolling
Parenting experts share their tips on how to keep children's screen time under control.
bbc.com
NS&I boss replaced as savers left waiting for millions of pounds
Pensions Minister Torston Bell said those affected would receive compensation "where appropriate".
bbc.com
'It took six years to receive my late father's premium bonds'
Readers contacted BBC Your Voice to say they not been able to claim funds from dead family members' premium bond investments.
bbc.co.uk
The Briefing Room
What are the reasons for the large number of young people without a job in the UK?
bbc.com
How to make the most of your Lifetime Isa
Martin Lewis explains that you can use your Lifetime Isa to buy with someone who has already bought.
bbc.com
Co-op boss quits after 'toxic culture' claims reported by BBC
Shirine Khoury-Haq's departure comes after a troubled year, in which the retailer suffered a cyber-attack and faced allegations about its workplace culture.
bbc.com
Prepare for turbulence - how a prolonged Middle East conflict could reshape how we fly
The Gulf's hub airports made long-distance travel cheaper - but now their future looks unclear.
bbc.com
The homeless teenager who became a successful advertising boss
Greg Daily has swapped sleeping on friends' sofas for running a popular digital marketing company.
bbc.com
Would you build your own apps?
Start-ups are offering tech for novices to create apps with the help of AI.
bbc.com
US weight-loss drugmakers slash prices in fight to win customers
Weight-loss drug prices are falling in the US - but can the example be repeated?
bbc.com
Germany has a shortage of workers - so it's turning to India for help
The European nation, struggling to find skilled staff, is giving jobs to young people from India.
bbc.com
'Club vibes without the hangover': The twenty-somethings going out - in the gym
Young people are driving a gym boom as more fitness spaces are transformed into vibrant hangouts.
bbc.com
Home working, long leases and rise of parking apps - what went wrong for NCP
How could a company that charged as much as £65 for a day's parking fail to turn a profit?
bbc.com
Colombia's budding tech scene needs a cash boost
Colombia has become a tech hub for Latin America, but attracting investors is a challenge.
bbc.com
Sir John Curtice: Why Labour's Brexit focus has shifted from Leavers to Remainers
Will the pursuit of a closer relationship with the EU risk courting electoral disaster by alienating Brexit-backing voters?
bbc.com
How Finnish supermarkets are central to the country's defence
The chains all have detailed plans to follow in the event of the nation going to war.
bbc.com
Is it possible to build a plastic-free home?
Using plastic in construction is cheap and easy, but some are trying to radically cut back its use.
bbc.com
Ukraine's urgent fight on the financial frontline
The war-torn country is battling to secure crucial funding from the IMF and EU, as well as putting up taxes.
bbc.com
Why has Trump eased sanctions on Russian oil - and will it help Putin?
The US said easing sanctions on Russian oil would provide only a limited financial boost to Putin.
bbc.com
Dharshini David: Economy on shaky ground even before Iran war
The government's hopes that 2026 would be the year when growth picks up are at risk of being scuppered.
bbc.com
Can plastic-eating fungi help clean up nappy waste?
Cost and convenience have made disposable nappies dominant - can start-ups compete?
cnbc.com
Register now: Applications open for the World's Top Fintech Companies 2026
CNBC and Statista chart the top fintech players from around the world, ranging from startups to Big Tech names.
bbc.com
The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
bbc.com
Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas
Parts of Britain’s rail network will close for engineering work over the festive period - but is that the right time to do it?
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